Jeremy Paxman's last Newsnight: Politicians' nemesis hops on bike with Boris Johnson for final episode

In tandem? Boris Johnson and Jeremy Paxman during the Newsnight interview (Picture: BBC)

After 25 years steering the political debate as the BBC’s rottweiler-in-chief, Jeremy Paxman will ride off into the Newsnight sunset tonight — with Boris Johnson firmly in the driving seat.

Paxman’s final appearance on BBC2’s flagship current affairs show features the presenter pedalling precariously on a tandem bicycle with the Mayor.

While both are known for their love of cycling, a clip of the interview released by Newsnight editor Ian Katz shows them struggling to direct the two-seater around City Hall.

In the footage, the Mayor says: “I wanted to show you it is delightful to cycle in London.” A typically downbeat Paxman replies: “It is not delightful, it’s a bl**dy nightmare.”

The mayor blames the “nightmare” on the bike provided by the BBC. “It’s absolutely wonderful to cycle in London,” he says. “This, I have to say, is one of the most difficult machines I’ve ever tried to cycle on, but Newsnight procured this.” At one point the duo, are jeered by builders on a construction site. The final journey sets the seal on Boris and Paxman’s long-running rivalry on the show.

The Mayor once confronted the interviewer about his salary, and asked him: “Why don’t you get a proper job instead of just sitting around telling politicians what to do?” Paxman’s response was: “The usual convention, Boris, is that I ask the questions.”

The 64-year-old announced his retirement from Newsnight in April, to a collective sigh of relief from politicians. Famously, he asked Michael Howard the same question 12 times to try to wring a satisfactory answer out of the future Conservative party leader.

He has clashed with Tony Blair, William Hague, disgraced former newspaper publisher Conrad Black, and more recently comedian Russell Brand. He once asked Dizzee Rascal: “Mr Rascal, do you feel yourself to be British?”

It is not yet known who will take the place of Paxman. He has been earning about £800,000 a year for his work on Newsnight and University Challenge — where he will remain as host.